The Edge September/October 2025

THE NALP EXPERIENCE

Meet Macey Robinson, 2025’s Young Professional of the Year

By Jill Odom

MACEY ROBINSON, MARKET VICE PRESIDENT OF NORTH TEXAS AND Oklahoma for LandCare, exemplifies people-first leadership, and her ability to build client trust, develop new business, and deepen team engagement has allowed her to soar through the ranks at LandCare.

started to see that I wasn’t just there to prove something — I was there to build something. Not just a strong branch, but a real culture — not just a workplace.” Robinson is passionate about mentoring emerging leaders. She loves being able to pour into people, help solve problems, and create opportunities for others to grow. “I know what it feels like to be young, unsure, and trying to figure out where you fit,” Robinson says. “I wouldn’t be where I am without the people who believed in me, challenged me, and made space for me to grow. So now I try to do the same for others. Whether it’s through formal men torship or just everyday encouragement, I want young professionals to know there’s a place for them in this industry — and that their voice and potential matter.” She says one of her proudest moments was being able to offer Brandon Graham the branch manager role at Oklahoma City when she was promoted. “Being able to step into my new role while creating space for him to step into his — it felt like a shared win,”Robinson says. “It’s the kind of moment you work your whole career for: not just advancing yourself, but bringing others with you.” Robinson encourages other young pro fessionals in the industry to ask questions and ask for mentorship. “You don’t have to have it all figured out on day one — what matters is that you’re curious, open, and willing to grow,” Robinson says. “Find people you respect and learn from them. Most leaders want to help — you just have to take that first step.” She also says it’s okay to set boundaries that protect your time and energy. “Boundaries aren’t a weakness — they’re what keep you sustainable and successful long-term,”Robinson says. “This industry has so much opportunity, but you have to advocate for yourself and stay true to who you are while doing it.” Robinson says that now she has reached this goal, she needs to set her next one. “This award motivates me to keep show ing up, keep leading, and keep creating space for the next generation coming behind me,”Robinson says. Robinson will receive her award during ELEVATE in Phoenix, Arizona, on Nov. 2-5. TE

After demonstrating her potential, she was promoted to a branch manager in Dal las. She says she had a solid foundation from being an account manager, but that first year was hard as she had to lead through the unknown and trust her instincts. “You don’t know what you don’t know — and things come at you fast,”Robinson says. “But I’ve learned that it’s not about having all the answers right away, it’s about how you react, how you learn from the tough moments, and how you get back up ready to face the next challenge.” After 18 months, she transformed the modestly performing branch into one that delivered impressive growth. Based on this success, Robinson was presented with another challenge: turning around LandCare’s Oklahoma City branch. This location was struggling with growth, renewals and customer satisfaction. “Taking on the Oklahoma City branch was a huge step outside my comfort zone,” Robinson says. “At the time, I was at Dallas East, and that branch felt like my first baby — we had a great team, strong momen tum, and everything was moving in the right direction. Honestly, I almost didn’t want to leave. But I knew that growth doesn’t come from staying where you’re comfortable.” Within six months, Robinson’s efforts to improve the branch both operationally and culturally had resulted in a solid foundation that has led to the branch becoming a thriving location. Her accomplishments were recognized by her promotion to market vice president of North Texas and Oklahoma, where she now oversees five branch locations. Despite her achievements, Robinson says it hasn’t always been easy as a 31-year old woman in the industry. “There were moments where I felt like I had to work twice as hard to earn respect — whether that was from clients, vendors, or even peers,”Robinson says. “But I didn’t let that discourage me. I focused on showing up consistently, doing the work, and leading by example. Over time, people

Robinson has transformed multiple branches and is an inspiring young leader who is lifting up others alongside her. Her hard work has earned her the 2025 Young Professional of the Year award. “Honestly, this is a highlight of my career,” Robinson says. “Every year when I attend ELEVATE, I watch the presentation of the Young Professional of the Year and Woman Leader of the Year, and I always say to myself, ‘I’m going to keep working hard so that one day that could be me.’To actually receive it is surreal.” Like many others, Robinson fell into the landscape industry after changing majors. She joined LandCare in 2017 as an account manager after turning them down several times. “At the time, I was a little intimidated by the idea of working in a more corporate environment, so I took a job with a different company in Kansas City after college,”Robin son says. “It didn’t take long for me to realize there wasn’t a clear path for growth or leadership there, and I started thinking more seriously about what I wanted long-term.”

40 The Edge // September/October 2025